Insignificant
by Shamichi
Summary: Rukawa contemplates about relationships and his apathetic nature as a principle to live by. Fast forward two years and Rukawa finds himself on a plane back to Kanagawa. [Rukawa/Sakuragi] with a dash of [Yohei/Haruko]
1. Insignificant

Rukawa's POV:

Have you ever lied to someone you love? For your own selfish reasons of course. You wanted to end it because at that moment, you were only thinking about yourself and foolishly disregarding the other. At the time, somehow you are convinced over the fact that you don't love the other as much as you know you did. Fact is, you did, you still do but the reality of it is, you are trying to resist the feeling. Then you start asking why. Why you wanted to resist so much when you basically accepted it in the first place. It then becomes a confusing battle between freely wanting and accepting the feeling to succumbing to what people or society will think of it. Don't get me wrong though, I usually couldn't care less about the judgment of others but when it comes down between love and life goals, I can't resist the tempting desire of the court, the familiar sounds of crowds and cheers and the almost mystic dribbling of the round orb known as basketball. With any type of relationships or petty romances, it can only go so far before I know I have to leave. This was just one of those instances where being indifferent towards my encounters with people would really help, it saves me the trouble of dealing with another person's emotion rather than my own since there is nothing left to look forward to if I do at some point decide America is too rough for a guy growing up in simple Kanagawa. However, that is not the case. It would be different if it was just a momentary consolation for the lonely, but I can tell you right now that it is anything but.

Insignificant relationships are what they are, insignificant. And I would be lying if I said I have never had an insignificant relationship before. Besides my very indifferent nature to everything else but basketball, there are moments when you feel a temporary void that needs to be filled. Perhaps you might think that males being males, I would use my overt popularity to take advantage of things. As shallow as that sounds, you are not completely wrong for thinking so but neither are you right. Just like everyone else, I have had my fair share of curiosity and just like any other male, you notice things you didn't before and you get questions you never asked before. Believe it or not, I gave the whole 'blind date' thing a try once and although she wasn't too bad and it was nice, I didn't feel anything particularly special like I hoped though. If anything, it made me think that girls are too much of a hassle to handle. That night I decided that maybe emotions were not something I show easily.

However, there was that one exception with a certain boisterous red head. There was chemistry between us and I am unsure where it came from or how it happened, it just did. Slowly but surely, I also had succumb to the unnatural charms of Sakuragi Hanamichi. I don't know what it is though, he was loud, stubborn, aggressive and not to mention self-proclaimed. Nonetheless, unlike any other growing relationships, the inevitable happens leaving you with undesired choices, choices you think is unfair. Staying in touch was another option but America and Kanagawa is not a car ride away and besides, I like to spare the emotional uproar and commotion that these feelings cause. It is not going to be worth it, no matter who it is.

I remember that day well. It was around June, and I spotted the red head cheerfully walking in in his usual manner.

Flashback: (Normal POV)

"_Oi, do'ahou,"Rukawa called out to the red head walking cheerfully infront of him._

"_What Rukawa?"he answered with the grin still vibrant on his lips. Rukawa looks at Sakuragi carefully, his eyes holding Sakuragi's brown orbs in a serious gaze, dropping Sakuragi's smile in the process._

"_O-oi, Kitsune, whats wrong?" Rukawa continues to hold Sakuragi's gaze, not flinching, blinking once as he did so. A vast ocean of thoughts circled his mind as he continues to stare at the red head. _

"_Let's break up." Rukawa's voice came out serious and cold, causing Sakuragi to now return his serious gaze to a state of confusion and surprise._

"_B-break up?" Sakuragi repeated the hurtful words, asking for reassurance that his ears had not betrayed him. Rukawa simply nodded, confirming his statement._

"_We've been together for a while and I have been thinking," Rukawa explained. Sakuragi remained silent and quiet. "I am going to America soon and we won't be able to see each other anyway." he continued._

_Sakuragi nodded slightly and bit his lip to resist the coming tears slightly forming in his eyes. Rukawa reached out for t red head's hands as he took it into his._

"_I am going to be very honest with you right now ahou, so listen." Rukawa sighed, looking into Sakuragi's brown orbs._

"_I don't think I feel the same way anymore." _

_Silence filled the air as neither spoke but simply looked at each other, hurt clearly visible in their eyes._

_Sakuragi stared down at the ground, trying desperately to avoid Rukawa's gaze. He pulled his hands away from Rukawa's firm grip. If he didn't have feelings for Rukawa then yes, this would be a lot less painless and easier. But he does, and he is hurting inside right now. So much. _

_But its not like he never thought about the possibilities of this happening, he did and it seemed easier thinking about it rather than actually experiencing it._

"_I am not good enough?" Sakuragi asked, trying to find reasons to his change of heart._

_Rukawa looked carefully at Sakuragi, the question triggered an unexplainable feeling. Was it sympathy? Guilt? Possibly close to it? He cupped Sakuragi's cheeks gently, leaning slowly forwards as Sakuragi leaned back. _

"_Don't take it personally A'hou..I …" before he could continue, Sakuragi sighed and pulled away forcefully from Rukawa._

"_Yarou!" he growled. "Do whatever you want. I Don't care anymore! Go to America and…whatever! "he cursed angrily. _

I sighed as I reminisce the bitter and abrupt split between Sakuragi and I. Like I said, relationships become insignificant and no matter how much you enjoyed the sentiment of the relationship, it is better to depend on yourself rather than on someone else.

"Sakuragi…"

It is a principle I am learning to live with and it is a memory that I can live with, at least for now.


	2. Home

Home

**A/N: I have thought about writing chapters for this particular story awhile now and so here we are. To be honest, I have gone back and forth, debated if I should just keep this as a stand alone story or if I should have several chapters. And as it turned out, I've decided on the latter. I've lingered on this for what felt like decades and I think it is about time I post it. I just don't know how to make it better anymore. :P **

Rukawa sat uncomfortably in economy class, cursing mentally at the check in woman for deliberately giving him the window seat after reassuring him on his selected aisle seat. He squinted as he slowly moved his gaze to his side, secretly hoping the seat next to him will stay empty. Suddenly, as if on cue, a brawny man came fumbling clumsily on the seat, his hands occupied with bags. His movement practically shook the plane as he hurriedly placed the bags on the overhead compartment. He looked at Rukawa, carefully fixing his eyes on the handsome teen. His expression was surprised at first but then suddenly contorted into one that of awkwardness. Rukawa gave him a threatening look, one that instantly caused him to move his gaze away from the boy.

"Excuse me kid, I need the room." The man proceeded to shove his giant back pack under the seat, pushing the boy insistently further towards the window, cornering the poor boy in the process. Rukawa glared at the man, his gaze emitted a level of annoyance that seem to caught the attention of other passengers but only to be ignored by the man as he casually flipped through the in-flight magazine. "Moron." Rukawa cursed mentally. If the space wasn't so cramped perhaps he would've already started a fight. But then again, too much energy would be wasted on such a trivial individual.

Rukawa leaned back against his seat, folding his arms against his chest as he recollected the development that led him to this 13 hour flight back to Japan. The details were unclear but he remembered the dreams, the smidge of a familiar figure and the flash of red. It had been consistent now; the remnants of a certain boisterous individual seem to find its way into his psyche. At first they were just random memories, memories which reminded him of the growing attachments between him and the red head. Awkward stares, silent confessions and unwilling acceptance, all of which took about a year. But the more he tried to resist his thoughts, the more apparent they come, like a wave of relentless memories suddenly washing over him.

Rukawa stared down at the ticket in his hand. He sighed; his eyes hesitantly glance up at the screen across him as he covers his face with his hand in a weary manner. Rukawa furrowed his eyebrows, suddenly realizing the suggestion of his decision, as if he intended on chasing his past relationship. Rukawa shook his head lightly, affirming to himself that that was far from his intention. At least, not definitely.

It had been 2 years since their split, knowing Sakuragi; the last thing he would want to see is Rukawa's face.

It had been 2 years since he left Kanagawa and he never once thought about going back. Truth is, he intended to stay in America for as long as he could, or at least until he fulfilled his desired purpose. The decision to come back was a normal one, normal by most standards. Some nights Rukawa stood at his balcony, looking out into the iridescent night view of New York City as he embraced the loud honking and wailing of sirens of the sleepless city. Some nights he would be reminded of the difference between Kanagawa and America, and some nights he would miss the simplicity of Japan and the calm nature of the lifestyle.

It was a month ago when he received a letter from home. His parents had begged him to come home to visit since they missed their only son and demanded that he show his face for an upcoming family gathering. He dismissed it at first, uninterested in the plans that his parents always persuaded him to do.

He debated on it for a while, reassuring himself that going back would only slow his progress down. Perhaps it was homesickness that made him purchase those damn flight tickets. Or maybe he was possessed. Either way, he promised himself that it would only be a short visit.

2 years was a long time to be away. He wondered about the people he knew, and wondered how much things had or hadn't change.

"Excuse me," a light tap quickly snapped him out from his thoughts. Rukawa blinked as he noticed the stewardess smiling at him brightly. "Can you lift your window covers up please? We're about to land." Rukawa lifted the covers as his eyes squinted at the sudden blinding light penetrating his window.

"Sir? Wake up sir." The stewardess tried to move the man next to Rukawa to wake up but to no avail. With one swift motion, Rukawa elbowed the man awake. "Huh? What's going on?" the droopy eyed man scanned his surroundings and noticed Rukawa looking deeply outside his window while the female attendant points to the illuminated seatbelt sign. "We're landing now; please have your seat upright." The man cursed irritably and positioned himself straight.

Rukawa Strapped his Nike bag on his shoulders as he stood amongst the streak of people chaotically reclaiming their luggage. "Excuse me, can you help me please?" A blonde –blue eyed girl helplessly tried to reach for her bag overhead. Rukawa grabbed the bag from the overhead compartment and handed the girl her red luggage bag. "Thanks." She smiled politely before pausing momentarily to look carefully at her heroic stranger. Her eyes widened in admiration as she noted his handsome features and his strong build. Her cheeks went crimson red, and her eyes sparkle in instant fascination.

"Are you going to take this?" asked Rukawa plainly with the bag still in hand.

She took the bag quickly and proceeded to walk over to the exit as she secretly glanced back at Rukawa one last time, smiling cheekily before departing out of sight.

Rukawa walked steadily along the familiar streets of Kanagawa, secretly thankful that he managed to make it back just before noon. As he took in the sight of the familiar structures he thought about America and his first week adjusting to the energetic streets of New York. The noise, the people, the skyline, and the thrilling lifestyle were a lot to take in for a simple guy. But slowly, he just became used to the city, the people and the culture. Still, there were times when he had found it difficult to adapt to a place where people were so informal.

For someone as reserved as Rukawa; it was a step outside his comfort zone. Sure, he cherishes his personal space like any introvert would, but that does not make him an outright hermit.

Settling down in a different country is one of the most challenging and awkward things Rukawa had been through in his life. Not to mention the inevitable need to adapt to their use of the English language. He regretted not paying attention in English class before since he was always caught sleeping instead. Speaking to them was hard enough but speaking to them in a language that feels so distant to the tongue is not only cruel but embarrassing. For a while, it was terrifying but then it became like an option he was able to adjust.

Rukawa yawned, placing a hand to his mouth. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he stopped to see a familiar structure across the street. He approached the open gates of what seems to be a school. On the walls, a sign read, 'Shohoku high school'. Rukawa stopped and stared at the old looking building. Up until now, he hadn't really thought about what this school really meant to him. In the past, it didn't matter where he decided to go; all he cared about was joining the basketball team. But looking at the place now, he wondered if he would have been the same if he went to Ryonan or Kainan instead.

"R-Rukawa?" a female voice called out, her tone between questioning and disbelief. Rukawa turned to see a brown haired girl with bright brown eyes staring at him in genuine shock. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open. He looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed as he desperately tried to remember her face.

'Oh, it's the captain's sister…' thought Rukawa finally, embarrassed that he couldn't remember her name.

"You're back!" Haruko stared wide eyed as she approached the tall figure. Rukawa simply nodded and looked down at the small girl. "It's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Something like that."

"How's America? Did you like it? " asked the girl excitedly, her eyes beaming with eagerness and curiosity. Rukawa shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly, "It's...different."

"That sounds exciting!" exclaimed Haruko, clapping her hands in a childish manner.

"How are you Rukawa? We didn't hear much from you since you left for America."

Rukawa fidgets slightly, recalling his many fail attempts at mail posting. "Oh, I was busy…"

Haruko nodded, her smile still plastered on her lips. "Of course, I bet it wasn't easy. The team still talks about how proud they were."

"You should come and visit the others. Its Sakuragi's last season in Shohoku and since Miyagi and Mitsui will stay for a final year; it's their last season together."

"Ah, I see," said Rukawa thoughtfully.

Haruko stared at Rukawa, her eyes carefully trace his features; from his porcelain skin to his jet black hair that always seem to lightly cover his cobalt eyes. She noticed he still remained as handsome as ever and his expression still indifferent as when she first fell for him.

The girl smiled at the raven-haired boy, happy at the prospect of his return. Rukawa sensed the gaze on him but awkwardly looked elsewhere hoping to break the uncomfortable stare.

Bzzz…Bzzz…

"Oh, I am late, "said Haruko as she stared down at her phone in her hand. "It's nice to see you again Rukawa," she bowed politely, smiling cheerfully one last time before proceeded to walk away. He watched as she walked on, waving frantically as she did so, "Come visit us okay!" Rukawa only managed to lift his hand up before the girl disappeared out of sight. He stood there briefly, processing what just happened before he continued to walk again.

Before long, he reached a moderate looking house. He stood there, familiarizing with the house in front of him. He scanned the structure carefully as several thoughts circled his mind. He gripped his bag tightly and heaved a weighty sigh as he proceeded to enter the gate of the house.


	3. A glimpse into the abyss

A glimpse into the abyss

Youhei sat casually at a cafe; his body slumped as he sipped on his freshly squeezed orange juice. His eyes followed the movement of a tall figure across the room, his gaze glued to the redhead as he attended to different tables, practically sprinting as he shifted from one table to another. 'They must be shorthanded again' he thought as he sighed at the sight of the redhead as he repetitively smiled, greeted and wrote down orders for different tables. Youhei couldn't help but smirk at the unfamiliar sight, never once would he imagine that his friend would actually take up the challenge and occupy himself with a part time job. It's not the part about having a job that perplexed Youhei the most though; it is the role that he decided on that surprised him. He understood why Sakuragi decided to occupy himself with jobs and activities since the past year had left him emotionally drained. Despite what the redhead might say or what his reason may be, there was no doubt that part of the reason of his sudden exertion on himself was so that he could focus on different things, different people and different environments. His main priority would always and continue to be the sport he loves but even that wasn't enough to erase a lingering figure haunting his waking existence.

Distraction. That was what this was. Something, anything to divert his thoughts. No matter how hard Sakuragi tried to bury the memory of a painful past, Youhei could somehow see the glimmer of grief that envelops the boisterous redhead. Even though it wasn't technically a long relationship, he understood the complexity and influence that both Rukawa and Sakuragi had on one another.

He felt his cheeks tense as he watched Sakuragi repetitively greeted and smiled at customers entering the cafe. He was scared that if Sakuragi grinned anymore his jaw might fall off. The door swung open as a familiar figure entered the cafe. Sakuragi turned instantly to greet the person when he stopped, his smile curved wider than usual.

"Haruko!" he greeted cheerfully, waving at her in an excited manner. She smiled at the redhead, waving her hand at him. "Hello, Sakuragi."

"Youhei is over there," he pointed at the table near the window. "My shift is almost done; I'll join you guys soon." Haruko nodded then proceeded to walk over to where Youhei is currently sitting. He smiled at her, waving his hand in a friendly gesture as he straightened his posture slightly. "Yo, Haruko."

"Sakuragi looks pretty busy today." She said, noticing the almost frantic movements of the redhead. "You know how it is with Hanamichi; he's always so driven no matter what he does." Youhei chuckled under his breath, imagining indestructible soldiers of Sakuragi's marching in a substantial line with a threatening and unyielding scowl etched on his face.

"I'm glad he's enjoying his work." Haruko said optimistically. "You mean, you're glad he managed to forget about Rukawa, right?" Youhei continued which made Haruko's expression drop, her eyes instantly widened and unblinking as she suddenly remembered her earlier encounter. Youhei immediately noticed this and cast a questioning look at the girl, waving his hand in front of her face. When Haruko snapped out of her trance her expression gradually knotted into a guilty one, her eyes softened apologetically as she remembered her conversation with the raven haired boy.

"Youhei,"Haruko started as she motioned him to come slightly closer. Youhei cocked his head and leaned his body slightly forward, tilting his head ever so slightly to listen in. "I saw Rukawa today." She said in a low whispering tone. Youhei's eyes immediately widened at the news as he leaned backwards sharply. "What?"

"Rukawa is back, I talked to him earlier." Haruko repeated herself, her voice still in a hushed tone. "You're sure it was him?" he questioned seriously. The girl nodded confidently, "I am not wrong, I recognize that face anywhere." A light blush crept on Haruko's cheeks as she recalled the familiar handsome features of her past fantasy. Youhei rolled his eyes at her reaction, detesting the look of admiration on her face. "Fine, I get it." He said bitterly, his voice expressing a light tinge of jealousy.

"We can't tell Hanamichi..."

"Tell me what?" As if on cue, Sakuragi chimed in as he took an empty chair and sat down. Haruko and Youhei was caught off guard by the sudden presence and tried anxiously to cover the obvious apprehensive look on their faces.

"We can't tell you that you're such a genius!" said Youhei, internally slapping himself in the face for coming up such a lame cover up.

"Yeah, because it's so obvious, who doesn't know that?" Haruko continued, fuelling the sorry excuse for an explanation. But for some reason it seemed to work as Sakuragi confidently puts his hands on his waist and grinned proudly and began to laugh hysterically, "Of course, I'm glad you guys finally understand me." 'Thank God his ego is the size of his foot' Youhei thought reassuringly.

"Oh Haruko, did you know Youhei bought a car?" said Sakuragi excitedly.

"Wow, really?" she replied, surprised. "You did? That's great, it must be expensive."

Sakuragi nodded, "he worked his butt off at that damn job of his, and he deserved it."

Youhei smiled at his friend, "It's time to invest on a good vehicle anyway, and the old vespa couldn't afford to take anymore abuse."

Haruko chuckled at the thought of the old, run down vehicle Youhei had since first year, amazed at the sheer endurance of such vehicle even after being able to support five guys on one seating.

"Do you have practice today, Hanamichi?" asked Youhei. Sakuragi stood up from his seat as quickly as he sat down when he suddenly remembered his usual practice schedule with the basketball club. "I'm late!" he wailed.

"I'll drive?" Youhei dangled the car key temptingly in front of him as a wide grin slowly stretched the redhead's cheeks. "Come on Haruko, come with us." Sakuragi motioned her to follow them. "We get to experience Youhei's bad driving first hand." the redhead chuckled.

"Are you sure?" asked the girl hesitantly. Youhei grabbed her hand and gently pulled her over to them, "Yes!"

Rukawa yawned as he shifted in his comfortable bed; his bloodshot eyes wearily scanned his surroundings. He sighed as he felt his tired body unable to lift itself up from its natural position. 'Ugh, jetlagged." He thought as he glanced wearily at the clock sitting on the table next to him. The time read: 8:30 am.

Suddenly, a knock came knocking on his door. Rukawa stayed silent, too tired to answer, too tired to care. The door lightly creaked open revealing a middle aged woman with dark black hair, her expression slightly weary but at the same time somehow still carried a sense of youthfulness to her that thread between the lines of old and youth.

"Are you awake yet?" the woman said lowly, careful not to wake her son in case he was still sleeping. Rukawa buried his head under his pillow in an attempt to block out the ray of light penetrating through his room and the sound of intrusion of his mother. He groaned in despair as his mother tiptoed into his room, lifting her head ever so gently.

"Kaede?" she hummed in a cheerful tone.

"I'm up, I'm up." He said, raising one hand in assurance. His mother smiled brightly at the response of his son, "breakfast is ready for you so come join us okay." Rukawa nodded, his head still buried deep in the comfort of his pillow. One of the things that he missed about living alone in America is definitely the privacy that comes with it.

He raised himself up and started to pandiculate before hesitantly dragging himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom where he rid himself of the germs that he managed to collect from the flight yesterday. He slipped on his usual grey hoddie and black varsity jacket with dark blue jeans to match his stylish appearance. If there was anything he managed to take back with him from America, it is definitely the fashion sense. Usually he would go for the simplistic, but since curiosity got the better of him, why fight it?

He entered the dining room and was greeted with two surprised looking parents.

"Wh-what are you wearing?" asked his father in a not so casual tone. His parents know him well enough to know that his fashion sense was usually simple and to the point, but now he looked as if he had finished a modelling shoot and ran way with the clothes.

"It's American." Said Rukawa simply.

"Well, that's different." His mother added. Rukawa shrugged at their reaction and sat down on the chair. They said their blessings and ate the array of delicious food prepared on the table.

"How long are you staying, Kaede?" asked his mother.

"Two weeks."

"Oh, that's short." She said disappointedly. Rukawa shrugged and said, "I can't be away too long, I need to get back and train."

"Isn't this your home?" said his father as he raised a questioning eyebrow at his son.

"Yes, but I can't come home if I've not reached my goal."

His parents looked at each other; their expression mirrored a worried frown. "I'm sure a long needed vacation is ideal then."

Rukawa shot his father an ominous look as soon as the words escaped his mouth. Without words, his father lifts both his hands up in a hesitant stance and cleared his throat.

"There are other important things than basketball, you know!" Rukawa's mother shot up suddenly, her eyebrows crumpled in frustration at her only son. Rukawa stared at his mother momentarily realizing the seriousness of the atmosphere and the inconsiderate words that they managed to hurl at him since his arrival. Rukawa stood up, his tall figure towering over his parents. "Thank you for the food." He managed to say before picking up his bag and headed to the front door.

"Kaede!" his father shouted from the dining room but it was too late, Rukawa had already slipped through the gate and out of the tension filled house.


	4. Close Encounter

**Chapter 4: Close Encounter**

Youhei leaned against the wall of the gymnasium, his attention absentmindedly fixed on the centre of the court where figures move against each other. He watched Sakuragi swiftly dribble the ball, gracefully dodging every other challenger blocking him.

"Sakuragi has been improving alot, hasn't he?" a voice chimed in beside him. Youhei looked to the left to see Haruko standing next to him, smiling at the energetic redhead with a proud glint in her eye. Youhei nodded at her words and the improvement his friend noticeably made over the years.

"Sakuragi! Pass!" a teammate shouted, signalling his free hand. Sakuragi nodded and expertly mauver his position, passing the ball to his free teammate.

"Go Takamune!" Sakuragi cheered with confidence.

"And an astounding team player too." Haruko added with a meaningful curl on her lips. Youhei smiled sincerely at the comment, for the first time acknowledging the truth in the fact that his friend really has changed by at least a bit. It's a miracle by most to see the difference a year or so could do to even someone as coarse as Sakuragi Hanamichi but as much as people doubt his potential, he has so much to offer, so many sides to him that surprise people day by day. Confidence is a trait Sakuragi have an abundance of and it's his confidence and sincerity that ultimately moves people. It even moved the popular, impenetrable icy Rukawa. Okay, maybe moving him was an understatement since it did more than just that.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Haruko chimed in, turning her attention to Youhei, her eyes slightly concern. "I mean, it's been 2 years since Rukawa and—"she stopped, unable to continue her sentence. If he was honest, he wouldn't know how Sakuragi would react if he were to casually bump into him. Sure, it was easy to predict his response before back then but with these new improvements to his character, he couldn't really tell and that kind of scares him.

"I don't really know how to answer that." Youhei answered honestly. "For the first time, I don't know how he'll react."

Haruko stayed silent briefly before turning her attention to Youhei, "whatever happens, he won't have to face it alone." Her blue eyes gently reassuring him. Youhei fidgets slightly under the girl's gaze, feeling his cheeks suddenly emitting some heat. His eyes modestly move down to meet hers as they stood there entranced in each other's gaze. Beautiful blue smiled at him and he swears to this day that he's never seen anything as captivating and compassionate as hers.

"Are you guys okay?" a voice chimed in immediately breaking out from their day dream.

"Oh, practice ended already? That was fast."

"Well, not really, Ryo-chin let us go 10 minutes ago. I kind of just waited for you guys to finish..." Sakuragi eyes them suspiciously, "whatever it is you're doing."

Haruko furiously blushed at the suggestion. Sakuragi snickered at their reactions, amused at the tension growing between them. "Come on, I'm hungry." Sakuragi smiled, walking towards the exit of the gymnasium. "Youhei is paying for dinner today."

Youhei's eyes widened at the declaration, "wait, what? Again?"

Sakuragi laughed a boisterous laugh as he walked out of the gymnasium with Haruko and Youhei following behind.

Sitting on a street bench, Rukawa Kaede finds himself surrounded by the soothing setting of the sun melting into a moonlit star studded canvas. The air crisp and sharp, an atmosphere he missed after so long. New York was beautiful in its own right but perhaps there was something about Kanagawa that even a fast paced and fancy lifestyle couldn't replace. He gazed up the sky, breathing in clear air. "2 weeks..." he whispered, breathing out slowly. "Just 2 weeks" that was all he needed to relieve this inconvenient feeling of homesickness.

He thought about his parents and the squabble they had earlier today. Maybe it was slightly of a dramatic exit but their words really did struck a nerve. Basketball was never an ideal career path his parents planned for him, no, it didn't held too much prestige in their mind to merit approval. From a young age they had exposed him to the idea of becoming someone more 'relevant' and 'respectable' but he was never interested in the idea of imposed futures or any of the sort. For as long as he could remember, basketball never stopped being his priority, a dream he wanted and promised to fulfil.

He realized that being good enough was never going to be a good enough standard. He wanted more out of basketball; he wanted to play with the big leagues in America, to be better, to be recognized for his skill as a sportsman outside Japan. Few get to experience that success but then again, few had his passion and that was a huge difference. Besides, being 21 years old now is a mature enough age for him to at least make his own descisions.

Bzz Bzz

Rukawa's slid his hands in his pocket for his phone, swiping at the one unread text message notification on his screen.

'_Kaede, are you coming home for dinner?' – Mum_

Rukawa looked down at his watch and slides his phone back into his pocket. He stood up, picking the orange ball sitting next to him. As much as he likes to contemplate his life longer, his stomach seems to detest the idea.

"You always do this Hanamichi!" a familiar voice chimed in. The familiarity of the voice and the name sends a strange sensation in Rukawa's chest, He scanned his surroundings, trying to pin point the source of the voice.

"I'll pay you back if you let me drive your car." Sakuragi grinned sheepishly at his friend.

"Fine," replied Youhei, dejectedly with his arms folded against his chest. "But you better take care of that car, and don't tell Noma I lend it to you either."

"Sure, "Sakuragi agreed. "But you know, I bet Haruko thought you were a real gentleman for paying for dinner." Sakuragi said teasingly. Youhei blushed at that and cleared his throat.

Sakuragi chuckled at Youhei's immediate change of colour on his cheeks.

Rukawa eye the two figures from the distant approaching his direction, the distinctive colour of red stood out from the two.

Rukawa stopped dead in his tracks, finding it difficult to move. It felt as though his legs were frozen on the ground. His first instinct was to act natural and unfazed by the situation. A normal Rukawa tactic. For the first time in a long time, Seeing Sakuragi and being able to hear his voice after 2 long years, he felt a sudden sense of dread mix with longing wash over him. Rukawa realizes the reality of the situation and that this was more than just a scenario he visualises in his mind. No, this was actually happening. Imagining the situation is different from actually experiencing it. Sure, confronting familiar faces was always on the agenda but to see them this quick was frankly quite intimidating.

"Oh, wait my shoelaces. Here, hold this," Sakuragi stopped and hands Youhei his duffel bag as he kneels down on one knee to tie his disruptive shoe laces.

Suddenly, blue eyes met jet black ones as their gaze lock momentarily in a stare. Mito Youhei, Sakuragi's best friend caught sight of him with a stern and an unsurprising look in his eyes, a gaze fierce yet protective, as if Rukawa was somehow a thief out to steal away something precious. Youhei's reaction was shows no sign of surprise, instead it was one that was akin to expectancy. As if he always knew they would cross paths.

"Youhei, are you okay?" Sakuragi said, cocking his head to side.

"Hanamichi, I think this is the wrong way," Youhei quickly turned his friend the opposite direction, pushing him forward in a frantic manner. Sakuragi raised his eyebrows questioningly, "But the car park is—"

"I'm still kind of hungry," Youhei lied, insistently pushing the red head away from the bench where Rukawa stood. They were so close now that if Sakuragi were to pay attention a bit more he could surely spot the blue eyes staring at them.

"You ate one bowl less than me, how could you still be hungry?"

"Come on, help a friend out."

"But Youhei, I'm tired after practice—"

"Hanamichi, please!" Stunned by Youhei's sudden urgency, Sakuragi nodded and walked towards to the direction of the city. Youhei glanced over his shoulder to still see Rukawa planted firmly on the ground with his eyes fixed on the oblivious redhead. Youhei sighs under his breath and pat Sakuragi's back, "I'll buy drinks too."

Sakuragi grinned at the shorter man as his eyes lit up briefly before he stopped and narrowed them questioningly at his friend, "I'm not washing your car though."

Youhei chuckled softly, shaking his head, "Don't worry, I wouldn't want you to either."

Rukawa watched as the two figures disappeared of sight. He heaved a sigh of relief at the close encounter. Whatever confidence or notion he had before this meeting quickly disappeared and in its place was an anticipation of foreboding future confrontation.


	5. No Comment

**Chapter 5: No Comment**

**A/N: Did I proofread this? I most certainly did not. I apologize if anything is out of place. Also, yes, there are 2 OC characters (characters I made up) in this chapter. Not recurring characters don't worry. (At least I had no plans for them as of now) But well, I have no ownership of any of the characters here except maybe 2. ...I'm also sorry for sometimes using the word 'cafe' and 'restaurant' interchangeably, I might be hungry when I wrote this and have an unconscious inclination to eating at a restaurant.**

Sakuragi stirred uncomfortably under his blanket, grunting groggily at his now ringing alarm clock. Caught in a weird sushi roll of blankets, he grumpily and blindly feels around for his clock to turn it off.

"Nggh, noisy noisy..." he mumbled incoherently, closing his eyes tighter, burrowing his head deeper underneath the blanket to avoid the ray of light slowly penetrating through the windows. Before he could settle peacefully, the second wave of alarm echoed loudly making Sakuragi tense in frustration. He jolted up and glared at the innocent object, his tired eyes twitching slightly.

Sakuragi sighed in defeat, accepting the fact that his own clock wouldn't let him continue to rest. He yawned, rubbed his eyes sleepily as he glanced at the clock properly for the time. His eyes widened as soon as he read the time on the clock which read, 10:00 am. Shock ran through him just as quickly as reality sets in.

But before he could move, the phone rang.

"Sakuragi!" the voice was stern and furious, "You have any idea what time is it?" Sakuragi bolted up at the familiar voice on the other line, his awareness now heightened as he glanced at the clock. Oh great, it's the boss.

"Uh..." before even finishing his sentence, Sakuragi was cut off by a cold reply, "You're supposed to start at 8:00 Am."

Sakuragi winced at the sudden realization. Today, out of all days was a bad day to be late.

"If you don't come to work this instant, you'll be working double shifts for a year." The voice affirmed firmly. "Oh, since you're late today, you're going to be taking Ichiya's shift tomorrow." With that last threatening response, the line goes immediately dead.

Sakuragi sighs as he groaned at his unfortunate predicament. He was not prepared for this, he had hoped to squeeze some rigorous basketball practice session with Miyagi today since he was supposed to finish earlier than most days today. Not to mention, he was intending to ask for a week off from work but now that seems unlikely. He glanced at the clock again, wondering why of all days was he late for work today. He groaned at the sudden throbbing headache and the dizzy sensation. Wait, a hangover? Sakuragi shakes his head in an attempt to clear his blurry vision. He recalled snippets, disjointed memories of laughter, a glass poured to the brim and him chugging down in one shot. He remembered Youhei, his cheeks red with heat but still able to maintain a cool posture. He distinctly remembers falling down and rolling around happily.

"Oh, that's right..." he thought to himself, remembering last night's events.

He was never a graceful or cool drunk, though, that was always Youhei. He's either a careless-bubbling drunk or a giddy drunk which is less classy when you're on a date. Sakuragi sighs, internally blaming Youhei for his now predicament. It was his idea to get drinks til the ungodly hours of the night. What was his deal exactly? Did Youhei want to poison him something? Youhei was acting uncharacteristically adamant of getting drinks. Typically it's not strange but there was a particular worry in his expression that bothered the redhead.

He remembered Youhei's persistence and the almost avoidant gesture he gave off, the kind of non-verbal language he gives when he was either upset about something or he was hiding something. Sakuragi shook his head, "he probably wanted me to be too wasted to forget about borrowing his car." He scoffed, "Well guess what buddy, I wouldn't forget even if I am brain dead."

Sakuragi untangled himself from his blankets and slowly picked himself up. Still, in a light daze, the red head walked carelessly towards the bathroom.

Youhei entered the cafe; his eyes scanned the room only to suddenly be greeted by a familiar tall figure looking rather disappointedly at him. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Hanamichi? I thought you're off today?" asked Youhei. Sakuragi narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Youhei. "Apparently, I was too drunk the night before to even know anymore."

Youhei scratched his head nervously, "sorry about that, It was fun though right?"

Sakuragi grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms at his friend. "Since I'm here, can I get a seat?"

Sakuragi nodded and pointed to the table in front of the counter. "You can order from Makoto, I'll have a few orders to take first. Youhei nodded and walked towards the long table and take his seat. A handsome man with light brown hair waved at him, a bright smile etched on his features.

"Yo, Youhei, long time no see." Makoto greeted, waving at him.

The night went on as usual with more customers coming in and out every hour.

He never realized how packed the cafe could be since he's usually off duty on the weekends. Weekdays could be a handful but Saturday's was a nightmare to keep track. He could hardly catch his breath when the bell of the door keeps chiming in with a wave of customers waiting and waving for attention. "I had no idea it was this crazy on Saturday," said Sakuragi, standing beside his other two co-workers, Makoto and Riku.

"Looks like you're late for the party, Sakuragi." Riku raised his eyebrows at him. Sakuragi simply stared at him, confused.

"What he means is that," Makoto started, "We get a lot of people around this time since we're the only cafe that close so late. Besides, young couples like our cafe best for their date on the weekends since we close late anyway."

"couples?" now that he scanned his surroundings, there seem to be more couples occupying the space.

Sakuragi quickly shrugged the thought deciding that it was not his business to run and he wasn't all that surprised considering how much of a money hungry asshole the owner could be.

"Don't you ever take your date to a nice restaurant, Sakuragi?" Makoto pat Sakuragi's pack considerately."

Sakuragi stayed silent, unsure how to approach the question. Makoto looks at Sakuragi, his eyes widened in realization.

"Wait, don't tell me you've never..."

Sakuragi blushed at the thought and shot up immediately.

"I-I have!" said Sakuragi defensively, his voice stuttering slightly. Makoto and Riku smiled teasingly at his reaction.

"Hnn..." Makoto hummed, interested. "What did you do on your first date? Knowing you, you'd probably bring her to a cheap diner and tried your best to look cool."

Sakuragi's face dropped as he thought about his first real- actual –date. He wished he could say it was Haruko then it would've been easier to brag about it in times like this. But instead, he remembers the awkward 'date' with Rukawa at Denny's and his sorry attempt at trying to look cool and put together when he was anything but cool that night.

"I...I guess you could say that." Sakuragi chuckled, trying to play it off as a funny memory.

"Trust," Riku commented as he bumps his fist lightly on Sakuragi's shoulders.

"Hey, Youhei, what was she like?" Makoto leaned in and asked casually. Youhei nearly choked on his sandwich at the question.

"She?" Youhei asked to which Makoto nodded and winked teasingly at Sakuragi who was now standing surprisingly straight and still. Clearing his throat, Youhei gazed up at Makoto. "Why are you asking me?"

"You're his best friend, you know everything about him." Makoto said plainly, folding his arms against his chest confidently. Youhei sat still, eyeing Sakuragi's defensive body language. He understood full well that the subject is not something he talks about casually, considering the turmoil it left him.

"Who knows, "Youhei shrugged. "He's been on a few dates; you're going to have to be more specific.

Makoto frowned, disappointed at the vague answer.

They watched happy couples as they ate, talk and shared awkward moments together. Some couples were successful than others, stupidly gawking at each other and holding hands without any regard to their surroundings.

Makoto sighs dreamily, "Have you ever shared something so beautiful with someone?"

Sakuragi and Riku stayed silent momentarily before Riku commented with, "You mean like when I share that pie with you?"

Sakuragi chuckled and Makoto wrinkled his brows at Riku, "Hey, it's serious question okay."

Riku shrugged, "I guess I've dated a few girls here and there but none really stuck to me."

"Sakuragi?" Makoto prodded. Sakuragi kept silent, averting his eyes from Makoto, twitching slightly. The question sends a strange feeling in his chest, a sudden feeling of tightness as he remembers his sorry excuse for a love life. It's been 2 years now since everything happened, and that's a long enough time to be reeling from a pathetic heartbreak. If he wants to forget about him and move on, talking about him shouldn't affect him anymore.

"Oi, "Youhei interjected, "mind your own business, it has nothing to do with you." Sakuragi stared at Youhei, surprised at his quick interruption.

"I was only -," Makoto stopped when he saw Youhei's glare at him, his intense eyes bore into Makoto's green ones.

"Its okay, Youhei, it's not a big deal." Sakuragi places his hand on Youhei's shoulder, comforting him to which Youhei just look up at Sakuragi. He needs to talk to Youhei about this outburst later.

"Yeah, sure, I've been in a serious relationship before, "he said plainly as if it's nothing important. Both Makoto and Riku watched him silently, their eyes eager for more information.

"Yeah, and?" Makoto raised an eyebrow, "what kind of woman have you dated Sakuragi? I'm curious." His lips turned into a mischievous grin.

"Does it matter?" Sakuragi feels his cheeks turn slightly warm, shifting his feet awkwardly, a habit he tends to do when he's uncomfortable. As much as he hates to admit it, there is a part of him that still feels bitter and heartbroken about the situation. He figures it's because he still doesn't fully understand Rukawa's reasons. I guess he could take it as it is with Rukawa being a jerk and he wasn't ever serious, but then, somehow, after reflecting on it properly, sometimes Sakuragi wonders if there was more to it.

"Why are you guys interested anyway?" Youhei added, eyeing the two suspiciously.

Makoto and Riku froze at the question, "Oh, you know, just curious." Youhei and Sakuragi looked at each other, their eyebrows raised skeptically at the two.

"Excuse me," a Man called out, "we need some service, please."

"Over here too!" a woman raises her hand to get their attention. With that, both Riku and Makoto quickly rush to the customer, bowing apologetically when they reach their table.

Youhei sighs as he rests his palm on his cheek, relieved that the conversation stopped before anything gets out of control. He then steals a glance at Sakuragi who was wiping the counter in front of him, "Hanamichi, "he began.

"Are you okay?" ask Youhei, nothing but sincere worry in his voice. Sakuragi grinned, giving him the thumbs up.

"I'm serious."

"I'm fine, nothing's wrong," Sakuragi reassured his friend.

"So you're fine with...you know?" Youhei prodded. Sakuragi stopped momentarily but shrugged at the question. "Look Youhei, it's been ages since and don't you think I have important things to focus on right now? I don't have time to think of something that happened years ago.

'Wow, he's matured more than I thought,' Thought Youhei, staring at his friend with a new sense of admiration. Maybe he's been thinking too much about how past Sakuragi would react that he didn't even consider how the now, current Sakuragi would think about it. And now, it seems that he's been worrying for nothing. Sure the past Sakuragi might give head butts and demolish a house but this Sakuragi might accept situations and the outcome of things better.

"Say, Hanamichi," Youhei continued, biting his lip in indecision. "What if, if Rukawa came back to Japan. You know, if he just suddenly came back. "

"I'll kill him," Sakuragi growls lowly, his fist shaking at the thought. Youhei leaned back, surprised. Youhei sweat dropped at that, erasing the too optimistic view of his friend. Oh, where did all the maturity go?

"Okay, you're pretty clear on that." Youhei chuckled.

Sakuragi sighs, his demeanor serious, "Youhei, why do I feel like you're keeping something from me?"

Youhei paused as he considers. Should he tell him? There's only so long before he bumps into Rukawa anyway and letting him know now is better than letting him know later. Whatever his reaction may be, Youhei figures Sakuragi deserves to at least know the truth.

"Hanamichi, there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh..." noticing the sudden seriousness in Youhei's posture and voice, Sakuragi nods to pay attention. But before Youhei could go on any further, a voice called out to the redhead, "Oi, what are you doing goofing off there! There's a customer waiting!"

Sakuragi shot up and bowed apologetically, "Ah, sorry, we'll talk later okay."

"Someone will be with you in a minute," Makoto smiled, the customer simply nodded and continues to scan the menu.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, "Sakuragi apologized as he takes out his mini notebook. "So, what will—"his sentence trailed off midsentence as soon as he looks up. A pair of familiar cobalt blue eyes stared back at him, any hint of surprise or shock absent from his expression. At that moment, Sakuragi could feel his soul escape his body; a wave of numbness devoured his senses. All thought, motion ceased as he turned pale at the sight of the man in front of him. His eyes widened in disbelief, "Y-you're..."

Rukawa's waits for his reaction, his eyes never leaving the redhead. He knows confronting this head on and revealing himself was probably silly, it's like starting a war that could easily be avoided. If he avoided the key places for a bit longer then the chances of meeting the redhead are slim to none. It was doable, but in some sense, that would make him a coward.

"You look just like someone I know," said Sakuragi finally to which Rukawa lightly scoffs.

"Actually, you look exactly like him." Sakuragi moved in closer, leaning his head closer to Rukawa to inspect him. Surprised by the sudden proximity, Rukawa leaned back slightly, his eyes trained on the curious redhead. Rukawa swallowed thickly, taking in the familiarity of the man. It's been a long time since he's been this close to Sakuragi and he forgets how much that made his heart race.

Sakuragi let out a forced laugh, immediately shaking his head, "That's impossible, that's impossible."

"You're not him," said Sakuragi as he patted Rukawa's back, "he left. There's no way that-"

Rukawa simply looked at him, unflinching, "D'oahou."

With that one simple word, Sakuragi feels everything come crashing down. "R-Rukawa?" A question, a question he wishes he was wrong about. But Rukawa casually replied with a "Humph, took you long enough."

"Rukawa!" Sakuragi shouted which perked the interest of everyone in the cafe. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here!" Sakuragi growled.

Rukawa simply shrugged, "Last time I checked, I live here."

"Don't get cocky with me!" Sakuragi grabbed Rukawa's shirt collar, his fist shaking.

"Sakuragi, what are you doing attacking the customer!" Makoto panicked, shocked by the sight. Riku clasped his hand to his mouth, interested at the predicament before him. The whole restaurant watched on in concern with the girls generally taking notice of Rukawa, obviously completely smitten by his handsome face while the boys look on in curiosity, generally excited about a potential fight.

"Hanamichi, "a voice came from behind that immediately calm the redhead. Sakuragi turned his head and saw Youhei putting a gentle hand on his shoulders, his eyes pleading. Sakuragi dropped his gaze to the ground, analyzing the situation, collecting his thoughts in the process. He looked at Rukawa, his icy blue eyes bore into Sakuragi's brown orbs. Then, slowly, he looked back at his best friend and suddenly everything makes sense.

Releasing his grip on Rukawa, he turned to Youhei; his eyes spoke the language of betrayal. "Youhei," Sakuragi started, "You knew, all this time."

Youhei kept silent and nodded, avoiding Sakuragi's gaze. Sakuragi closed his eyes, taking in the disappointment. Sakuragi sighs and regains his composure.

"Makoto, "Sakuragi called out, "I'm going home."

Perplexed and confused by the redhead's bizarre behavior, he opened his mouth to protest but a hand appeared to stop him. He looked beside him to find Youhei shaking his head, a silent indication to just let it go.

Rukawa watched as Sakuragi left the restaurant and ignored his presence. He sighs as he sat back down in his chair. He anticipated Sakuragi's reaction and didn't doubt his ability to dramatize a situation but at least he was free from hiding, free from wondering if they're going to meet the next corner. Sure, it's a trivial matter, and usually, he would not care but somehow, this time, it's different.


End file.
